Janeway's Delta Quadrant Struggles
by B'Elanna L. Torres
Summary: Coffee. Stress. Chakotay. Janeway's everyday struggles in the Delta quadrant.
1. Coffee

**Janeway's Delta Quadrant Struggles**

 _Another_ _little_ _something_ _I_ _wrote_ _on_ _the_ _plane_. _Ironically_ , _it_ _was_ _something_ _I_ _wrote_ _on_ _the_ _plane_ _coming_ _back_ _home_ _from_ _vacation._

 **Coffee**

"Computer, Coffee," Janeway ordered. She glanced back at her PADD, which contained Tuvok's weekly security reports, giving the replicator a second to do its thing.

She looked up a second later, expecting her much needed coffee to be waiting for her. Nothing.

"Coffee," she ordered again, standing up from her ready room desk and walking toward the replicator. Again, nothing.

Janeway tapped her comm-badge, mildly annoyed that she couldn't even get a simple "B'elanna, are you doing anything with the replicators?"

"No. Why?"

"The replicator in my ready room is acting up."

"I'll send someone down, but it'll be a while. Maybe an hour or two. We're doing some routine maintenance that's already been put off too long."

"It's alright," Janeway replied. "I'll use the replicators in the mess hall."

=/\=

"Captain!" Neelix greeted Janeway brightly. "Did you come for a snack?"

"Coffee actually. My replicator is being stubborn."

"Oh," said Neelix, slightly disappointed. "Well, you're welcome to use the replicators any time and if you ever want a snack…"

"Thank you Neelix," Janeway said, making her way to the replicator.

"Coffee," she ordered for the third time that day. This time, her wish was fulfilled and a steaming cup of coffee rested in front of her. Wrapping her hands around the mug, she made her way back to her ready room.

Nearly ten stressful minutes and a call to engineering later, Janeway finally had her coffee.


	2. Stress

**Stress**

"You're clearly stressed!" The Doctor nearly shouted.

"I know!" Janeway replied, becoming even more stressed over the fact that she was stressed. "I'll try to schedule some holodeck time," she added, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

"I've been thinking and I believe it would be better if you did something recreational with something from your work environment. That way, you're subconscious mind won't associate it with stressful situations when you walk onto the bridge in the morning," the Doctor said, very pleased with himself.

"That sounds like a great idea Doctor, but I can't exactly run a holonovel with an engineering console."

"I'm not suggesting that you take something. I'm suggesting that you take someone."

"Doctor—"

"Just a day or two and not as anything romantic," the Doctor said. "Though it might do you some good," he added under his breath.

"I really don't think that I can just leave the crew for that long."

"You'll be in the holodeck. If anything happens, we'll call you right away."

"It sounds like you've got this all planned out for me."

"You need this. Neelix told me you were stressed out about getting your coffee yesterday."


	3. Chakotay

**Chakotay**

Janeway set down dinner on the table for her and Chakotay at their weekly dinner together.

Chakotay smiled at the stew. "Given up on the pot roast?"

"It stresses me out just thinking about trying to get it right," she explained as she sat down across from him.

"Kathryn," Chakotay began.

She liked it when he said her name. It was a rather stupid and juvenile thing to like, but he was the only one that addressed her by it. As much as she tried to deny it, the Doctor was right. She craved a relationship, romantic or not, with someone she could call her equal. Someone to put a hand on her shoulder when she stressed out about coffee.

"The Doctor's concerned about you," he continued.

"Don't tell me, you're going to try to get me to take a vacation too."

"Yes, but you have to admit you need it."

"I'm not going to argue with you, but I can't just abandon my duties for that long."

"Tuvok can take care of everything for a day."

"Tuvok?"

"The Doctor asked me to come with you. He knows that you don't actually plan on taking a vacation, but he also knows that you won't let me down."

"Alright. One day."


	4. Vacation

**Vacation**

Janeway stepped onto the holodeck, Chakotay following closely behind. Immediately, she was greeted with a breathtaking waterfront view and a small cottage surrounded by woods.

"Do you like it?" Chakotay asked gently as Kathryn reached for the handle of the cottage's weather-beaten wood door.

"It's beautiful. The water, the woods, it's perfect Chakotay."

"I thought you would like it," he smiled.

She pushed open the door to reveal a small sitting room.

"This way," Chakotay said, leading her eagerly out to a sun porch, where they both sank down into a soft royal blue couch. The sun began to set, casting streaks of red and orange across the canvas sky.

Chakotay put an arm around her shoulders. Kathryn opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it. She knew that it was impossible for her and Chakotay to ever be together and it made her heart ache in a thousand ways, but right then, while sitting under the sunset, with his arm around her shoulders, she knew that she had all she needed. Not everything she wanted, but everything she needed.


End file.
